What is a Life Coach

So what is a Life Coach?

Coaching is all about asking questions. Not just any question, but powerful, open-ended questions that allow the client to reveal to themselves what it is that they really want.

Through active listening, the Life Coach can then guide the client where they choose to go, acting as a rudder of sorts, keeping the client straight on the path he/she is steering.

Here is an example:

Imagine for a moment you are at the helm of a beautiful sailing ship. Your hands are gripped tightly on the wheel, steadfast determination filling your soul as you stare out over the vast, blue ocean of your life.

A voice whispers, "Where do you want to go?" as you glance toward the infinite directions you can sail. So many destinations...

Looking into the distant horizon, you make a decision.

You check your bearings with the ship's large compass as a gust of wind fills the sails with a snap, sending your hair flying in the breeze.

You spin the wheel to your bearing and the ship leaps to your command, sending the sea spraying across the deck as your ship races forward, rudder focusing you on your chosen path.

Based upon the example above, can you pick which positions a coach would take?

Let me help..

The Coach is the Whispering Voice

The Coach is the Compass

The Coach is the Gust of Wind

The Coach is the Rudder

Notice where the Client is:

AT THE HELM

STEERING THE SHIP

MAKING THE DECISION

This is the essence behind the question,"What is a Life Coach?"

So, What is Coaching?

There are a few ways to define coaching, as well as answer the question of what is a life coach. First, let's start with the book answer:

"Coaching is a collaborative partnership between a coach and a willing individual which connects at a deep personal level of belief, values and vision. It enables, through a process of discovery, goal setting and specific action. It is for the realization of extraordinary results. It is based in a body of knowledge, technology, and a style of relating that focus on the development of human capacity. - Erickson College"

That is a very detailed and precise definition that needs clarification. Therefore, lets break it down into smaller bits to make it easier to understand.

"Coaching... connects at a deep personal level of beliefs, values and vision." This is a powerful statement and one of the essences of coaching.

What does it mean to connect at a deep personal level? Through powerful questions, a coach can get to the meaning of 'you': who you are, what you believe, what your values are. By learning these things, the coach can then guide you through a series of exercises designed to bring these ideals into alignment.

Once these are aligned, a conversation can begin to take place that really moves you forward toward your dreams and goals. You must ask yourself, "How do I know what I want if I don't know who I really am? What it is I truly value?"

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• What IS a Life Coach?
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